Lifting and/or holding device



May 1943. D. L. KELLEMS 2,318,164

LIF'I'ING AND/OR HOLDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1WITNESS INVENTOR ATTO R N EYS May 4, 1943. D. L. KELLEMS LIFTING AND/ORHOLDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1942 WITNESS '4 Sheets-Sheet 2 II o 0 (fi li 69 T H 55 66 I 74 W; J 9 9 ATTORNEYS INVENTOR 43 174/40 Z; )(SLLEMfiMay 4, 1943.

D. L. KELLEMS LIFTING AND/OR HOLDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1942 4Sheets-Sheet 3 BY 1M ATTORNEYS INVENTOR I ,Dfl/w L. (5440/5 y 1943- D.L. KELLEMS A 2318,164

LIFTING AND/OR HOLDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1942 -4 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR 2/7/ 1) l./(44M.$

WITNESS ATTORN EYS Patented May 4, 1943 2,318,164 LIFTING AND/R HOLDINGDEVICE David L. Kellems, Westport, Conn., assignor to Kellems Company,New York, N.

Y., a partnership consisting of Vivien Kellems and David L.

Kellems 7 Application January 5, 1942, Serial No. 425,664

15 Claims.

This invention relates to a device having use in the lifting of objectsfrom a place of rest and in the carrying of the lifted objects to aplace of discharge.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved liftingdevice which will grip an object more securely than devices heretoforeutilized for this purpose.

A specific object of the invention is to provide an improved liftingand/or holding device whose gripping and releasing operations arereadily and effectively controlled through associated cooperating levermechanisms.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved lifting orholding device in which are included means capable of utilizing thepulling or lifting forces applied to increase the gripping action of thedevice upon an object to an extent proportional to the intensity of suchapplied forces so that the greater the force that is required to beapplied to the device to move an object, the greater will be thegripping action of the device on the object.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedlifting device having control mechanisms which make it entirely safe tomove highly dangerous objects with the device.

With above and other objects in view, the present invention provides alifting device which, broadly speaking, includes a tubular basket ormeshed tube adapted to receive the object to be lifted and constructedby winding a series of strands so that they spiral in oppositedirections around the longitudinal, central axis of the baslret or tube,the strands being arranged in open meshed fashion to enable the basketor tube to be considerably varied in a radial direction by endwisecompression or expansion thereof to accommodate objects having widelyvarying shapes and sizes. In accordance with the invention, a leverageor pulley system is connected to spaced portions of this basket orbaskets, preferably the ends thereof, and such leverage or pulleysystem'is preferably operated automatically in the lifting of the devicewith the object in such manner as to cause the basket or tube to exert agripping action on the object proportional to the weight of the objectbeing lifted and the forces required to lift the object and the device.

. The novel features of the invention as well as the advantages thereofwill become more clear after a perusal of the following description,read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 55

in which are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention and inwhich Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of one form of the liftershowing in full lines the normal position of the parts and showing indotted outline the manner in which the parts are adjusted for thereception of an object therein; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the deviceshown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of another form ofthe invention and illustrating the position of the parts thereof Justprior to the lifting of the device; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view,partly in section, of the control mechanism embodied in the device shownin Fig. '3 and illustrating in dotted outline the manner in which thecontrol device is rendered inoperative to extend the basket or tube ofthe device; Fig. 5 is a front elevational view showing the position ofthe .parts during the lifting operation; Fig. 6 is a side elevationalview of the control mechanism showing the condition of the same duringthe lifting operation; Fig. 7 is a top plan view, partly in section, ofthe device shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along theline 8-8 of Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9of Fig. 4; Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the operating lever of thecontrol mechanism, a portion thereof being in section to illustrate moreclearly the operation of the parts thereof; Fig. 11 is a transversesection of the Fig. 12 is a perspective elevational view illustratinganother embodiment of the invention; Fig. 13 is a side elevational view,partly in section, showing still another form of the invention; Fig. 14is a top plan view of the device illustrated in Fig. 13,

and Fig. 15 is an elevational view illustrating a still furthermodification of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawings, the reference character 20 indicates generally the ring whichforms the top or upper end of the body of the lifting device. The loweror bottom ring is indicated by the numeral 2|. Intermediate the spacedrings 20 and 2| is formed an open meshed tubular structure designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 22 and composed of a plurality ofwire strandsfolded intermediate their ends about the upper ring 20 andextending in spiral fashion towards the bottom ring 2|, the sections 23of the wire strands being interwoven or braided with the sections 24 ofthe strands and spiralling about the central, longitudinal axis of thestructure in a direction opposite to that of the wire sections 24, ascan be clearly seen in Fig. l of the drawings. As the loops formed bythe lower ring of the device illustrated in Fig. 3:-

strands around the upper ring 20 are formed in the construction of thebasket 22, the ring 20 is woven into the fabric construction and becomesan integral part thereof. The ends of the strand sections 23 and 24 maybe deadened" by twisting two oppositely spiralling wires together andpermanently securing such twisted ends to the bottom ring 2| in anysuitable fashion as by soldering or by passing them through spacedapertures inthe ring 2| and then aflixing them to such ring or, as isshown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, by securing them in tubular clasps orclips 25 which are bent around and secured to the lower ring 2|.

It will be understood from the foregoing description, that the openmeshed structure 22 is so formed that it may be considerably varied indiameter by endwise compression and expansion thereof. Thus it may beexpanded radially by endwise compression forces to enable it to beplaced readily over and upon the portion of the article to be lifted,and when the compression forces are removed it will automaticallycontract radially to frictionally engage the outer surfaces of theportion of the object which it encloses. When an endwise pull or forceis thereupon exerted tending to extend the open meshed structure, thestrands of the latter will tighten upon the exterior surface of theobject and thereby secure a firm, frictional grip. The greater theendwise force or pull exerted upon the open meshed structure the greaterwill be the gripping action of the latter upon the object. As both ofthe rings 20 and 2| are preferably made of relatively stiff wire andhave a diameter greater than the diameter of the open meshed structure,they tend to increase the rigidity of the open meshed structure and tofacilitate the gripping action thereof, due to the fact that they causean initial tension to be placed on the intermediate portions of the openmeshed structure.

Secured to-the upper ring ID are a pair of spaced grips or'handles eachcomposed of a cylindrically-shaped handle member 2|5Ymade of wood or anyother suitable material and through which extends a bolt 21 whose endsare supported upon and connected tothe outer ends of its associated pairof lever members 28, 28. The two lever members 28, 28 of each handle areeach pivotally supported intermediate its ends by a cotter pin 29 whoseintermediate portion or head is bent around and surrounds the upper ring20 and whose legs extend-through an aperture provided in the levermember 28 and are then bent in opposite directions about the upper andlower sides of the lever member. A washer may be provided on the legs ofthe cotter pin intermediate the spread portionsof such legs and theouter surface of the lever 28, By this construction there is provided a-simpl e,=strong pivotal connection between the. levers 28 and: theupper ring 20, the heads of the cotter-pins 29 being free to move backand forth on the ring to enable the pivotal points'of the levers 28 tobe shifted relative tothe'ring during the expansion and contraction ofthe basket or tube 22. The inner ends of each pair of lever members 28,28 are connected to the upper ends of two upstanding, rigid,channel-shaped, metal straps 3|, 3| positioned in diametrically opposedrelation on the device and extending longitudinally of the same to thelower ring 2|. The connection of the lever members 28 with the rigidstraps 3| is a pivotal one and may be made by passing a bolt 30 througheach strap and its two associated lever members 28 and then flatteningthe inner end of such bolt against a washer to make a permanentconnection. The lower ends of the rigid straps 3|, 8| are connected tothe bottom ring 2| by cotter pins 32 which are folded around the bottomring 2| and then passed through apertures in the bottom ends of thestraps, the ends or legs thereof being then spread in opposed relationwithin the channeled strap members, as is shown more clearly in Fig. 1of the drawings, to secure the straps in position. Preferably, the headof each cotter pin 32 is maintained against movement on the ring 2| byspacer members which are positioned on each side of the cotter pin onthe ring and between the two clasps .25 between which such pin ispositioned.

In the use of the above described device, the bottom end thereof isinserted over the object to be lifted and is forced down on such objectby the operator pushing down on the two handle members 26, 26. As aresult of this action, the handles will be moved to the dotted lineposition illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings, thereby causing the openmeshed structure 22 to be enlarged in a radial direction to an extentwhere it will readily slip over the object. When the device is properlypositioned on the object, the operator, by lifting the device upwardlythrough his grip on the handle members 26, 26, will cause the levermembers 28 to pivot upwardly about the cotter pins 29, 29, therebyforcing the rigid strap members 3|, 3| and the lower ring 2| downwardlyand consequently elongating the tubular member to the extent that thestrands thereof are caused to come into tight gripping relation with theexterior surfaces of the portion of the object enclosed thereby.Preferably, the normal diameter or cross-sectional area of the openmeshed structure is less than the diameter or cross-sectional area ofthe object to be lifted so that when the device is placed on the objectit will have a longitudinal length less than that of normal, as isindicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Thus, the wirestructure will by such insertion be placed under an initial tensioncausing it to apply an initial gripping action on the object as soon asit is in place thereon. When thereupon lifting pressure is applied tothe handles 26, 26, such pressure, through the lever members 28, thestrap members 3| and the bottom ring 2|, will serve to further bind theopen meshed structure more closely and securely against the exteriorsurfaces of the object. The greater the force required to lift theobject, the greater will be the binding action of the device upon theobject so that a firm gripping and anchoring of the lifting device isobtained on the object andthe latter may be safely carried to any placedesired. Due to the fact that the diameter of the bottom ring 2| isgreater than the diameter of the body portion of the open meshedstructure 22, there is imparted to the latter a rigidity which enablesthe device to be forced down over the object without any danger of theopen meshed structure bending along its longitudinal axis or collapsingduringthe'application of such force, while at the same time enablingsuch structure to expand radially to receive the object.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the invention provides asimple, effective lifting construction which is durable and can beproduced at relatively low cost. The leverage is relatively rigid andits ratio can-be readily made as high as desired, thus making itpossible to provide a. grip which is shorter in length and/or greater indiameter than those which have heretofore been madev and which can beutilized for the lifting of a large variety of objects and for manypurposes for-which devices of this type were not heretofore adapted. Itwill also be apparent that the device is well adapted for either manualor mechanical use. In the latter case, the handles of the device can beconstructed so that they can be readily engaged by hooks and chains froma machine or crane. In certain uses it may be advantageous to increasethe frictional gripping capacity of the device by lining theinterior ofthe basket or tube 22 with a material having high frictionalcharacteristics such as felt. leather or rubber. In Figs. 1 and 20f thedrawings, a leather lining of this character is designated by thereference numeral 33. The leather lining is maintained inproper positionwithin the basket or tube 22 by securing it to the bottom ring 2i withany suitable means such as the leather thong 34 illustrated in Fig. l ofthe drawings. It will be evident that the leather linings will increasethe frictional grip of the device on the object and thereby reduce anypossibility of the object becoming separated during the lifting action.As the lining 33 also decreases the diameter of the member 22 by thethickness of such lining, the grip of the device on an object will becorrespondingly tighter. These linings possess the further advantagethat they protect the surfaces of the object from becoming scratched andenable the lifting of painted and fragile objects without damage. Theselinings also serve to insulate the object from the gripping device andconsequently the operator or the lifting mechanism, which accomplishmentmay be of decided advantage under certain conditions.

Instead of connecting the lever members 28 of the handles to a pair ofrigid straps 3|, as in the above described device, there may be provideda pair of basket elongation control straps for each handle in order toobtain a more even distribution of the applied forces to the meshedstructure or basket. A device of this construction is illustrated inFigs. 3 to 11 of the drawings, in which construction the upper ring ofthe device is composed of an outer ring member 40 provided with aplurality of circumferentially arranged apertures through which extend asimilar member of threaded bolts 4i whose heads are positionedinteriorly of the ring 40 and in spaced relation to the interiorsurfaces of the latter, as can be more readily seen in Fig. 7 of thedrawings. Intermediate the ring 40 and the heads of such bolts or pins4|, are looped the upper ends of the strands or wires of the basket orwoven structure 22'. The looped portions of the strands are locked inposition by an inner guard ring 42 which is swedged to the interiorsurfaces of the ring 40 (see Fig. 8) and'is prohibited against verticalmovement relative to the ring 40 by the heads of the bolts or pins 4!and finger members or lugs 43 which extend over the upper surfaces ofthe inner ring 42 and are fixedly secured at their outer ends to thering 40 by means of the bolts 44. The woven structure 22' is connectedto the bottom ring 45 by spiralling the ends of the strand sections 23'and 24' together in pairs to form the spiralled terminal ends 46 (seeFig. 11), inserting such ends through the transverse apertures 4'!provided in member 45. Secured to the lower the extending force and thebottom ring 43 and securing the inserted portions of the spiralled ends43 in position relative to the ring 45 by means of set screws 43threaded through vertical apertures provided in the bottom edge portionof the ring 45.

Depending from the upper ring 40- are two pairs of slotted leverbrackets Iii, illand 5|, II which pivotally support the lever members52, 52 and 53, 33, respectively. The inner ends of the lever members 32,52 are pivotally connected to the upper ends of two rigid strap members54, 54 which are pivotally connected at their lower ends to thevertically disposed members 53, 56 secured to and extending upwardlyfrom the bottom ring 45. In a similar manner, the inner ends of thelever members 33, 53 are connected to the upper ends of the strapmembers 55, 65 pivotally supported on the members 51, I! provided on thering 45; The outer ends of the levers 52, 52 are loosely connectedtogether by a bolt 58 while the outer ends of the levers 53, 53 aresimilarly connected by a bolt 58'. Connected to the bolts 58, 68' areU-shaped couplings 59, 59 to which, are connected the cables 60, bywhich the device may be lifted.

As the device illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 cperates in a manner somewhatsimilar to the device illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, it is notbelieved necessary to describe its operation in detail. Suffice it tosay that the forces which extend the gripping portion 22' of the deviceare applied by the levers 52 and 53 and to the member 22 through thestrap members 54, 55, the upper ring 40 and the bottom ring 45. Theamount of the extending force will depend upon the pulling or liftingforce required or rather upon the weight of the object being lifted.Thus, the more the object weighs, the greater will be the greater thegripping action upon the object. This makes it possible to lift heavyobjects with complete safety. As an additional feature of thisconstruction, however, there is provided on each side of the device acontrol and safety mechanism, each of which includes an operating lever6| pivotally mounted at its inner end on a pin 62 which extends throughaligned openings in a collar 63 and the upper. end of a vertical rod 64upon which the collar 63 is secured. The rod 64 is revolvably andslidably connected to the device by means of a strap 65 provided on theupper ring 40- and a strap 66 which is provided on the lower ring end ofthe rod 64 is a second elongated collar member 61, the distance betweenthe same and the upper collar 63 being suflicient to enable the rod 64to be shifted lengthwise for a small distance relative to the straps 65and 66. The operating lever 6| is provided with a finger 68 which isadapted to be moved into engagement with a loose washer -69 mounted onthe rod 64 and resting on the upper end of the strap 65, to maintain therod 64 in a raised position relative to the device, as is indicated indotted outline in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Normally, the lever 6| is inthe full line position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, with theintegral cross bar 10 thereof (see Figs. 4 and 10) resting on the collar63. In this position of the lever 6! a pair of spring pressed balls llprovided on the cross bar 10 and constituting latch members are engagedwith recesses provided on an upright member 12 integral with the collar63, to maintain the lever Si in this position until positively removedtherefrom. By depressing the lever 8!, however. the locking enger Hisbroken and the stop finger 58 is moved to the dotted line positionhereinabove mentioned.

' The lower end of the elongated collar or cylindrical member 51 hasintegrally formed therewith a transverse foot member 13 extending atright angles to the .rod 54. By rotating the operating lever andconsequently rod 54. the foot member .13 can be swung from the positionshown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings to the position shown in Figs. 5and 6 of the drawings where such member will extend inwardly towards theaxial center of the device. Rotational movement of the lever 6i and therod 54 is restricted by means of a depending finger 14 connected to thelower strap .65 and cooperating with a pair of spaced stop blocks l5, l5integrally formed on the member 81. The position of the finger 14relative to the stops l5, I5 is maintained until positively disturbed bymeans of a curved spring member 16 whose ends are supported in slotsprovided in the member 51 and whose intermediate outer surface portionfrictionally engages the inner surface of the finger I4, as isillustrated more clearly in Fig.9 of the drawings.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that when theoperating lever 6| is in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawings, the finger 63 by its engagement with the loose washer 69 holdsthe upper and lower rings 40 and 45, respectively, at their minimumdistance, thus holding the minor basket 22' in its fully expanded andreleased condition. With the device in this condition, the crane orhoist lowers the device over the object to be lifted,

such as, the shell illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings. Duringthe lower of the device over gagement of the latch members I! with thefinof the device should any failure or accident occur.

"'- For example, without the safety mechanism, it is the object, thefoot or safety members 13 come i into contact with the ground and fixtheposition of the lifter with respect to the object;' serator then liftsthe lever Gil of each""c'o'ntrol I I 58 thereof into contact with thewashers B9 to mechanism from the position shown in dotted outline inFig. 4 of the drawings to the position shown in full lines in suchfiguref The; with-' drawal of the finger 68 from its engagement with thewasher 63 frees the Woven member or basket 22' and enables'it to beconstricted diametrically .or elongated to come into grippingrelationwith the object as soon as the lever'members 52, 53

are raised. The operator thereupon causes the crane to lift the deviceand as aresult'of this action the cables 60, 6B pull up on the levermembers 52, 52 and 53, 53 until the grip is tight on the object and theobject is then liftedfrom the ground. During this lifting actionof thecrane and while the device and the object are, being possible that thegrip of the device might be accidently released if the bottom ring cameto rest momentarily against some protruding object during the liftingaction and let the object fall clear of the device. With the safetymechanism, however, the drop of the object would be stopped as soon asit came into contact with the foot members 15, I5, a distance of only afraction of an inch, thereby effectively preventing any damagewhatsoever. The associated springs 15, 15 will maintain the foot membersI3, 13 in this position until they are positively removed therefrom bythe operator.

With the foot members l3, 13 in proper safety position beneath theobject, the device with the object is then moved to the place where itis to be discharged. At the place of discharge and when the device hasbeen lowered to a position a few inches from the ground, the operatormoves the levers Bi from the safety lock position back to the positionillustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. On further lowering of the devicethe foot members l3, l3 first come into contact with the ground whichstops their movement and as the device is further lowered, the lowerring 45 comes to rest against the upper ends of the elongated collarmember 61. The weight of the-levers 52 and 53 during this portion of theoperation, however, causes them to keep dropping down until the tops ofthe straps 54 and 55 hit against the top ring 40. Thus the device, byits own weight, causes the basket or gripping member 22 thereof toexpand and automatically releases itself from the object. The safetycontrol mechanism is now in the position illustrated in Fig. .4 of thedrawings with the lever Si in the full line position. To remove thedevice from the object, the operator now only has to push the levers 6|downwardly to the dotted line position, thereby bringing the fingersraise the device from the object and bring it raised from the ground,the rod 64 of each con- .trol-device, by reason of its loose connectionwith the straps 55 and 65, remains stationary until reason of thislongitudinal shifting of the rod 64 relative to the device, there isprovided a space between the lower ring 45 and the member 51 of so thecollar 63 comes into contact with the washer 59, as is shown in Fig. 6of the drawings. By

back into position to lift another object.

In the event that the grip during the transporting of the object hasbeen accidently released so that the object is caused to be dropped uponthe foot or safety members l3, 13, it will be evident that such memberscannot be moved out from underthe object, as has been above explained,as a portion or all of the weight of the object is being supported bythem. To pivot such members out of safety lock position in order toremove the device from the object, it is necessary for the crane to setthe device and the object on the ground. Then the device and object as aunit may be readily tilted at an angle to permit the control mechanismto be operated to bring them to the condition shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawings with the levers Si in the dotted line position shown in suchfigure. The two safety mechanisms are preferably so constructed so thatthe levers 5i move in directions opposite to each other. That is, thelever 6i and foot or safety member 13 of each mechanism will be moved inopposed relation to the corresponding members of the other mechanism. Itwill, of course, be apparent that where the device is to be used forlifting lighter objects or objects which in themselves are notdangerous, the device need be provided with only one control and safetymechanism instead of two, as is illustrated in the drawings.

Instead of utilizing a lever arrangement to extend the basket or wovengripping member into tight gripping relation with the object, the .samepurpose can be accomplished by the use of pulleys. A construction ofthis type is illustrated in Fig. 12 of the drawings, in which the upperring, the basket or gripping member and the bottom. ring of the deviceare designatedby the reference numerals 88, H and 82, respectively.Secured at their lower ends to the bottom ring 82 are a pair ofdiametrically opposed longitudinally extending bars or compressionmembers 88, 88 which extend upwardly through straps 84, 84 provided onthe upper ring 88 and project above such ring. The upper ends of themembers 88, 88 are each provided with an offset portion to which isconnected one end of a rope or wire 88. The rope 88 connected to theupper end of each member 88 passes downwardly beneath a pulley wheel 88rotatably mounted on a pin supported by the strap 84 and ring 88 andthence upwardly to a upporting member 81 secured to the bottom end ofthe lifting cable 88. It will thus be seen that any pull exerted on thecable 88 will exert a pull on the wires or ropes 88, 88 and through thelatter and the compression members 88, 88 will exert a force in theopposite direction upon the bottom ring 82 and consequently the wovengripping-member 8i. The grip will be thus extended to exert a grippingaction on the object being lifted by an amount proportional to the forcerequired to lift the object. The advantage of this construction is thatthe limits to which the device can be extended and contracted aregreater than with the leverage constructions because of the freemovement of the pulleys and the greater possible length of thecompression members 88, 88. Thus the range of diameters which can begripped with this designls relatively greater than obtainable by use ofthe above described leverage design.

In Figs. 13 and 14 of the drawings. there is 11- lustrated another formof leverage design which may be especially advantageous for certainpurposes. In this construction, the bar-like compression members arereplaced by a-tubing 88 which encloses the top ring 8 I, the wovengripping member 82 and the bottom ring 88, the latter of which issecured to the lower end of the tubing 88 in any suitable fashion, whilethe top ring 8| is free to move relative to such tubing 88. Pivotallymounted on brackets 84, 84 provided on theupper end of the tubing 88 indiametrically opposed relation are two lever members 88, 88. Each of thelever members 88 is provided with a toothed portion 88 adapted to engagebeneath the upper ring 8i and a curved upper portion 81 adapted toengage with the associated bracket 84. Thus, by pressing the levers 88,85 towards the tubing 88, the portions 88 thereof will, through theirengagement with the upper ring 8|, cause the woven gripping member to beextended longitudinally away from the lower ring 88 and cause it totightly grip an object inserted therein. When the levers 88, 88 arepivoted in the opposite direction, the gripping action of the devicewill be broken, the portions 91 of such levers coacting with theirassociated brackets 84 to limit the outward movements of the levers.This construction has special advantages where it is desirable not onlyto securely grip the object but by securely holding the tubing 88against 'the drawings so that its rotation, preventing any rotationalmovement oi the obiect. I

Instead of using top and bottom rings in the pulley constructionshownin'Flg. 12 of the drawings, the woven gripping. member may be .providedat each end with a plurality of loops. A construction of this type isshown in Fig. 15 of the drawings, in whichconstruction the wires of thewoven gripping member I88 are at each end of the member formed into twoloops IN and I82. The loops WI and I82 at the bottom end of the devicehave connected thereto the lower endsof the compression bars I88,188,-while the loops IN and I82 at the upper end of the device haveconnected thereto the pulleys I84, I84. In other respects thisconstruction is substantially similar to the construction shown in Fig.12 of operation need not be gone into in detail. It should be pointedout, however, that the advantages of the construction shown in Fig. 15of the drawings are that it makes possible a greater range ofexpansionand contraction of the woven gripping member and makes it possible toeffectively grip objects having a relatively small diameter. Thus thewoven structure may be made of relatively small wires and yet by reasonof the tremendous forces which can be exerted through the expansion andcontraction mechanism, the device can grip the object securely andwithout any danger of failure. It will be evident also that this form ofthe invention can be further modified by providing eyes or rings for theloops I 8| and I82 and threading the ropes or wires I88, I88 throughsuch eyes or rings instead of using pulley wheels. Also, any number ofpulleys or rings may be used as is practical and desirable in order tomore evenly distribute the pulling forces to the woven gripping memberI88.

It will also be obvious to those in the art that many other changes andmodifications may be made in the constructions illustrated in thedrawings and hereinabove described without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the appended claims, hence I do not wishto limit myself specifically to such constructions.

I claim:

1. The combination of an expansible and contractile unit composed of'aplurality of strands arranged about a common axis to form a tubularstructure adapted to receive an object to be held, rigid means,connected to a. portion of said unit means connected to said rigid meansand to said unit at a place spaced from the first mentioned connectionof said rigid means with said unit and operable through said rigid meansto extend said unit and thereby to contract the same.

2. The combination of an expansible and contractile unit composed of aplurality of strands arranged about a common axis to form a tubularstructure adapted to receive an object to be held, rigid means connectedto a portion of said unit and extending longitudinally of the same, andlever means connected to said rigid means and to said unit and operableupon said rigid means to cause an extension of said unit in alongitudinal direction.

3. The combination of an expansible and con tractile unit composed of aplurality of strands arranged about a common axis to form a tubularstructure adapted to receive an object to be held, rigid means connectedto a. portion of said unit and extending longitudinally of the same,force transmitting means connected to said rigid means operable throughsaid rigid means to cause an extension of said unit in a longitudinaldirection.

4. The combination oi an expansible and contractile unit composed of aplurality of strands arranged about a common axis to form a tubularstructure adapted to receive an object to be held, rigid means connectedto a portion of said unit and extending longitudinally of the same,lever means pivotally mounted on portion of said unit spaced from theportion of such unit to which said rigid means is connected and beingconnected to said rigid means, said lever means and rigid means beingoperable to cause an extension of said unit in a longitudinal direction.

5. The combination of an expansible and contractile unit composed of aplurality of strands arranged about a common axis to form a tubularstructure adapted to receive an object to beheld, a rigid memberextending longitudinally of said unit and a movable member connected tosaid rigid member, said rigid and movable members being connected tospaced portions of said unit and operable to cause an extension of saidunit in a longitudinal direction.

6. The combination of an expansible and contractile unit composed of aplurality of strands arranged about a common axis to form a tubularstructure adapted to receive an object to be held, rigid means connectedto a portion of said unit and extending longitudinally of the same,pulley means mounted on portion of said unit spaced from the portion ofsuch unit to which said rigid means is connected and being connected tosaid rigid means, said pulley and rigid means being operable to cause anextension of said unit in a longitudinal direction.

'7. The combination of an expansible and contractile unit composed of aplurality of strands arranged about a common axis to form a tubularstructure adapted to receive an object to be held, a plurality of rigidmembers connected at one end to a portion of said unit, a plurality oflevers pivotally mounted on portion of said unit spaced from the portionof such unit to which said rigid members are connected and beingconnected to the other ends of said rigid members, said levers and rigidmembers being operable to extend said unit in a longitudinal direction.

8. The combination of an expansible and contractile unit composed of aplurality of strands arranged about a common axis to form a tubularstructure adapted to receive an object to be held, means connected tolongitudinally spaced portions of said unit and operable to extend saidunit in a longitudinal direction, and control means operable to maintainsaid unit in a contracted condition until released.

9. The combination of an expansible and contractile unit composed of aplurality of strands arranged about a common axis to form a tubularstructure adapted to receive an object to be held, means connected tosaid unit and operable to extend the same in a longitudinal direction,

and control means including a safety member adapted .to be moved intoposition beneath an object held by said unit.

10. The combination of an expansible and contractile unit composed of aplurality of strands arranged about a common axis to form a tubularstructure adapted to receive an object to be held, means connected tosaid unit and operable to extend the same in a longitudinal direction,and control means including an operating lever at one end of said unitand a safety member at the other end of said unit, means operativelyconnecting said lever and safety member and adapted upon operation ofsaid lever to move said safety member into position beneath an objectheld by said unit.

11. The combination defined by claim 10, in which said connecting meansincludes a longitudinally extending rigid member and in which saidoperating lever is pivotally mounted on said rigid member, and meansoperable by said lever for controlling the longitudinal extension ofsaid unit.

12. The combination defined by claim 10 including means to limit therange of movement of said operating lever and safety member and means tomaintain said lever and member in an adjusted position until positivelyremoved therefrom.

13. The combination of an expansible and contractile unit composed of aplurality of strands arranged about a. common axis to form a tubularstructure adapted to receive an object to be held, a rigid ring securedto each end of said unit, rigid means connected to the lower of saidrings and extending upwards from the same towards said other ring, levermeans pivotally mounted on saidother ring and connected to said rigidmeans, said lever means and said rigid means being operable to increasethe distance between said rings and to elongate said unit.

14. The combination of an expansible and contractileunit composed of aplurality of strands arranged about a common axis to form a tubularstructure adapted to receive an object to be held, rigid means connectedto one end of said unit and extending longitudinally of the same to apoint beyond the other end thereof, flexible means secured to theprojecting portions of said rigid means and movably connected to theadjacent end of said unit, said flexible means being operable throughsaid rigid means to elongate said unit.

15. The combination of an expansible and contractile unit composed of aplurality of strands arranged about a common axis to form a tubu-.

lar structure adapted to receive an object to be held, means connectedto said unit and operable to extend the same in a longitudinal directionthereby causing a tight gripping of the unit on an object, and aninterior lining in said unit, said lining being composed of flexiblematerial having high frictional characteristics and adapted to increasethe frictional grip of the unit on the object.

DAVID L. KELLEMS.

